Morning Prayer for Wednesday 5.6.26

Morning Prayer 5.6.26, George of Lydda, Soldier and Martyr, 304 | Daily Office Network

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Good morning and welcome. I'm Father Tom Roy, the Vicar of the Daily Office Network. I'm an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church of Minnesota, the Diocese of Minnesota. The Daily Office Network is a community of Christians who gather together on a daily basis to pray morning prayer Monday through Friday at 7 and 9 a.m. Eastern time. We come from several different faith traditions in several different countries. We use the Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer as our guide. We mix in artwork, have a news story at the top, and we frequently and we'll have a video at the end as well. All are welcome here where we do our best to exercise tolerance and decency with one another. Now let's settle in and begin morning prayer. Today is the 6th of May, 2026. In the life of the church, our saint is George Olida, a soldier and a martyr who died in the year 304. If you're searching for the Daily Office Networks podcast, go to Apple or Spotify. Put in the keywords, Daily Office Network. If you don't find it that way, come back here and click on one of the links. Let's begin. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbors as yourself. I am the Lord. Are children part of your worship time? As the congregation sang, God has filled us with laughter and music on a recent Sunday. Two joyful five-year-olds broke into a spontaneous liturgical dance, much to the delight of all who witnessed it. Moments later, they reflect a simple truth at St. Lawrence's Episcopal Church. Children are not just present in worship, they are integral to it. St. Lawrence is located on the north side of Chicago in Libertyville, Illinois, and has intentionally created a space for children to participate fully in the liturgy. Special two and three-foot candlesticks, perfectly sized for small hands, allow children as young as three to serve as acolytes. They were the inspired idea of their lead acolyte, who crafted them with velcro tops to ensure the flameless candles stay securely in place. On some Sundays, as many as nine children process faithfully behind the cross. Children are our future. Pray for the children. Everything old has passed away. See, everything has become new. Addie, would you lead us in the invitatory and the Psalter this morning? Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

SPEAKER_03 3:08

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. Therefore, let us keep the peace. Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Christ being raised from the dead will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin, was strong. But the life he lives, he lives to God. So also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God and Jesus Christ our Lord. Hallelujah. Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of the of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

SPEAKER_00 4:42

Thank you, Eddie. Our psalm appointed for this morning is Psalm number 72. And I'm going to ask Marcia in Barbados and Jill in Milwaukee to lead us in the psalm. Marcia, oh, Marcia Z'd out on me there quickly. I don't see Michael now. I will find you a partner, Jill. Give me one second. Carol, would you take the second one? Jill, would you start? And Carol, you take the second one, and then two of you trade back and forth.

SPEAKER_11 5:19

Sure. Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the king's son.

SPEAKER_10 5:28

That he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice.

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That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the little hills bring righteousness.

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He shall defend the needy among the people, and shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.

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He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another.

SPEAKER_10 5:59

He shall come down like rain upon the moan field, like showers that water the earth.

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In his time shall the righteous flourish. There shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.

SPEAKER_10 6:16

He shall rule from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.

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His foes shall bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust.

SPEAKER_10 6:30

The kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall pay tribute, and the rulers of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.

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All kings shall bow down before him, and all the nations do him service.

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And the oppressed who has no helper.

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He shall have pity on the lowly and poor, and shall preserve the lives of the needy.

SPEAKER_10 7:05

He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

SPEAKER_11 7:16

Long may he live, and may there be given to him gold from Arabia. May prayer be made for him always, and may they bless him all the day long.

SPEAKER_10 7:31

May there be abundance of grain on the earth growing thick, even on the hilltops. May its fruit flourish like Lebanon and its grain like grass upon the earth.

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May his name remain forever and be established as long as the sun endures. May all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed.

SPEAKER_10 7:59

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone wonders does wondrous deeds.

SPEAKER_11 8:06

And blessed be God's glorious name forever. And may all the earth be filled with the glory of the Lord. Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_10 8:17

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

Thank you, Jill and Carol. We were just talking about the grain flourishing on the hilltops and there being abundance. This is by Franz Francisco Francosis Millet from 1857. It is called the Gleaners. And that's what they're doing. They're gleaning. Patricia, would you lead this?

SPEAKER_01 9:07

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel, and say to them, You shall be holy, for the Lord your God am holy. You shall each revere your mother and father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God. Do not turn to idols or make cast images for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. When you offer a sacrifice of well-being to the Lord, offer in such a way that it is acceptable on your behalf. It shall be eaten on the same day you offer it, or on the next day, and anything left over until the third day shall be consumed in fire. If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be acceptable. All who eat it shall be subject to punishment because they have profaned what is holy to the Lord, and any such person shall be cut off from the people. When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest, you shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard, you shall leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God. You shall not steal, you shall not deal falsely, and you shall not lie to one another, and you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord. You shall not defraud your neighbor, you shall not steal, and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not reveal the dead or put a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God. I am the Lord. You shall not render an unjust judgment, you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great. You will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord, the word of the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Thanks be to God. Thank you, Patricia. Our first canticle is a song of Ezekiel, Mother Angel.

SPEAKER_07 12:01

I will take you from among all nations and gather you from all lands to bring you home. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and purify you from false gods and uncleanness. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit put within you. I will take the stone heart from your chest and give you a heart of flesh. I will help you walk in my laws and cherish my commandments and do them. You shall be my people, and I will be your God.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

Deacons are the laborers of the church. And here we see the prostration of Deacon Elizabeth just prior to her ordination. This act of humility and loyalty is directed toward the altar of God, not to any person. Paul, would you lead this?

SPEAKER_09 13:34

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you and have charge over you in the Lord and admonish you. Esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves, and we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the spirit, do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything, hold fast to what is good, abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. The word of the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 15:09

Thanks be to God. Thank you, Paul. Our next canticle is a song of the Spirit. Mother Angel.

SPEAKER_07 15:42

Blessed are those who do God's commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and be into the city through them again. Jesus has sent my angel to you with this testimony from the churches. I'm the root and the spring of David. I'm the bright morning storm. Come save the spirit and the bride. Come, let me cherry reply. Come forward, you are thirsty. Let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

Thank you, Mother Angel. This is a painting by Evelyn DeMorgan from nineteen oh nine, the worship of Mammon. You cannot serve two masters. Mammon or money or wealth or reading is from Matthew chapter six, verses nineteen through twenty-four. Deacon Elizabeth, would you lead us?

SPEAKER_04 17:20

Jesus said, Do not store up for yourself treasures on her, where mouth and trust and rasp consume, and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor wrath consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness? No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. The word of the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 18:26

Thanks be to God. Thank you, deacon. And now the apostle's creed. Annie, would you lead us in the creed? Annie, are you with us?

SPEAKER_02 18:49

Yep. Um, I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died in his baby. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again, he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

Amen. Thank you, Annie.

SPEAKER_02 19:33

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

And now the prayers begin with our Lord's Prayer. Robert, would you lead us in the Lord's Prayer and then we'll read the suffrages? The Lord be with you. And also with you.

SPEAKER_06 19:45

Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 20:17

Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Clothe your ministers with righteousness.

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Let your people sing with joy.

SPEAKER_00 20:29

Give us peace, O Lord, in all the world.

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For only in you can we live in safety.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

Lord, keep our nations under your care.

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And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

SPEAKER_00 20:43

Let your way be known upon the earth.

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You're saving health among all nations.

SPEAKER_00 20:49

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten.

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Or the hope of the poor be taken away.

SPEAKER_00 20:55

Create in us clean hearts, O God.

SPEAKER_06 20:58

And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

Thank you, Robert. Our saint of the day, George of Lydda. George of Lydda was an early Christian martyr. He was venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the Roman army of Cappadocian Greek origin. He became a member of the Praetorian Guard for Roman Emperor Diocletian during the Diocletian persecution. And he was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith. As a result, he became one of the most venerated saints in Christianity since the Crusades. He's been venerated especially as a military saint. He's respected by Christians, Druze, as as well as some Muslims as a martyr of monotheistic faith. George of Lydda. And now four prayers. The collect of the day for George of Lida, a saint and a martyr who died in the year 304, a collect on racism and injustice, a collect for grace, and a collect for joy in God's creation. Michael Brown, would you lead us in these four prayers?

SPEAKER_08 22:28

Almighty God, you commissioned your holy martyr, George, to bear before the rulers of this world the banner of the cross. Strengthen us in your in our battles against the great serpent of sin and evil, that we too may attain the crown of eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Oh God, call us into a deeper relationship to be your church for the sake of the world. Help us see with new eyes the injustices within church and society. Call us to have a loving heart that respects and uplifts the humanity and the dignity of every person. Open our ears to listen and learn from the experiences of people whose skin is different from ours. Open our mouths to speak about injustices. Join us with others to work for racial equity and inclusion for all people. Amen. Lord God, Almighty and Elasting Father, you've brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power that we may not fall into sin nor be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 24:03

Amen. And for joy in God's creation, this is our congregant Katrina Soto's view from her uh patio in Dana Point, California, as the sun rises. Go ahead, Michael.

SPEAKER_08 24:24

Oh Heavenly Father, you have filled this world with beauty. Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works, that rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 24:47

Amen. Thank you, Michael. One more look back at that photograph that Katrina sent me. Also, if you see joy in God's creation, it shows you the beauty of the earth or of something in creation that God created. Send me a picture with a description as to what you see, and maybe I'll use it in this segment. Now our Wednesday morning prayer list for healing of body, mind, and soul. Pray for the essential workers in our world. Many of our essential workers have given up so much to do what they do for us. They toil, they sacrifice, sometimes at their own expense. Pray for the essential workers. Josh Thomas, our founding vicar, is in a skilled nursing facility after a stroke. Josh's birthday is coming up on the 18th Monday of the 18th of May. He'll be 75. Continue to pray for Josh and his healing. Pray for healing for Deacon Leilani and her health challenges. Tracy Kay is awaiting a transplant. Excuse me. Andrea has a brain tumor. She's in undergoing physical and occupational therapy. Pray for her healing. Prayers for both Beth and Jim. Jim is losing his eyesight. Pray for Addy and her husband Anthony. Pray for their continued health. Stephen, Peter, Danielle. I'm saying sorry, Stephen, Paul, Danielle, Peter, Jerry G, Robbie, Zachary. They all have cancer. Many people have cancer. Pray for all of those who you know who have cancer and those who you don't know. Don and Cheryl Lee are experiencing dementia. Pray for Don and Cheryl Lee. Pray for Patricia for her continued strength and wellness. She's in an assisted living facility. And pray for all of those who are in hospice or comfort care, anticipating the end of their life, preparing to walk that path that we all will walk one day. We also on Wednesday pray for the caregivers. Prayers for Jan, Marianne, Cheryl, Beth, Judith, Tenna, Morgan, Pam, and Mark. We'll continue with the prayer for the mission of the church. Gordon, are you able to lead us in the prayer for the mission of the church?

SPEAKER_05 27:35

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose spirit the whole body of the faithful church people is governed and sanctified. Receive our supplication and prayers, which we offer you before all members of your holy church in their vocation and ministry, they may truly and devoutly serve you to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 27:57

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, hallelujah.

SPEAKER_05 28:01

Thanks be to God. Hallelujah.

SPEAKER_00 28:05

Life is short, and we don't have much time to gladden the hearts of those who take this journey with us. So be swift to love and make haste to be kind. May the blessing of the God of Abraham and Sarah, and of Jesus Christ, born of our sister Mary, and of the Holy Spirit who broods over the world as a mother over her children be upon you now and remain with you always. Amen. And that is morning's prayer for this Wednesday. Thank you for coming to pray today. Wherever you go, take that love of Jesus that lives inside of you in your heart. Share that Jesus with the world. Show that Jesus to the world. Hope to see you back with us safe and sound tomorrow.